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BORDER VIOLENCE
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Mexico investigates
Body prompts legal opinion
Embassy: Search started day man went missing By LYNN BREZOSKY SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
BROWNSVILLE — The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Relations said Mexico had opened a federal investigation and bolstered its search to find missing U.S. citizen David Michael Hartley and “categorically rejects claims to the effect that Mexican authorities are not doing enough.” Friday’s statement, from the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C., came eight days after Hartley, 30, was reportedly ambushed during a trip on personal watercraft to photograph Mexican ruins visible from the sur-
face of the binational Falcon Lake. “The search and rescue for Mr. Hartley started the day of the incident, and intensified this week with additional officers from the Army, the Federal Police, and from state and municipal forces, which cover the area where the incident took place,” the statement read. “The operation includes the thorough inspection of the region by air, land, as well as the banks of the Rio Grande.” Embassy spokesman Ricardo Alday said the federal attorney general’s office opened an investigation based on testimony giv-
See HARTLEY PAGE 10A
By LORRAINE L. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Photo by Ed Andrieski | AP
Nikki Hartley, sister of David Harley, talks to supporters at the Mexican Consulate Office in Denver on Friday after meeting with the Consul General of Mexico. Friends and supporters of David, who was reportedly shot and killed by Mexican pirates, called on authorities to bring his body back to the United States.
ZAPATA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT
KIDS LEARN TO STAY SAFE
Zapata County Commissioners will ask for a legal opinion over the exhumation of a body from a suspected Indian burial mound when they meet Tuesday. They will also hear a status report regarding a land dispute. The county historical commission requested the exhumation of the body from a gravesite that was covered in asphalt during a drainage improvement project. The streets of San Ygnacio have been completely repaved and the body is may be obstructing the location for a drain, Commissioner Jose E. Vela said. The body will have to be removed in order to continue the ongoing drainage improvements project on Texas Street, Commissioner Gabriel Villarreal said. The Historical Commission is
See COMMISSIONERS PAGE 9A
LAW ENFORCEMENT
DNA helps solve crimes By LORRAINE L. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
field said. The focus of this year’s presentation was smoke detectors and how they work. “Every home should have at least one,” Butterfield said. “Smoke detectors must be tested once a month and batteries changed once a year.” Also during the presentation
For the past few weeks the Zapata County Sheriff ’s Office has been solving criminal cases by collecting DNA evidence at crime scenes. Sheriff ’s office investigators solved three burglaries in September using DNA evidence, according to Captain Aaron Sanchez. In doing so, they tied all three burglaries together and were able to eliminate a suspect in one of the burglaries. Investigators collected bodily fluids at two crime scenes, Sanchez said. The two cases became one when the DNA evidence pointed to a single suspect in both burglaries, he said. The collected DNA evidence was submitted to the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab for comparison.
See SAFETY PAGE 10A
See DNA PAGE 10A
Photo by Cuate Santos | Laredo Morning Times
Second grade students from Villarreal Elementary in Zapata got a tour of one of the Zapata Fire Department’s fire engines Friday following a presentation by the members of the fire department as part of Fire Prevention Month activities. Firefighters William Butterfield, left, and Mike Sosa were on hand for the presentation.
Firefighters teach children ways to evacuate flames By LORRAINE L. RODRIGUEZ THE ZAPATA TIMES
Zapata County firefighters taught Villarreal Elementary students a lesson in how to evacuate their homes in case of fire to mark National Fire Prevention Month. “We want every child to get out of the house as safe and as quick as possible,” said Fire In-
spector William Butterfield. The presentation Friday by the Zapata County Fire Department wrapped up Fire Safety Week for Villarreal students, said counselor Claudia Garza. While every class watched the firefighters’ presentation, each class engaged in different fire safety activities earlier in the week. “They talked about ‘Stop,
Drop and Roll’ and community helpers,” Garza said. “They did the fire fighter hat, watched videos, and the library also provided literature.” Every year students receive a different lesson on fire safety and prevention, Butterfield said. “Last year we went over fire drills on how not to pull fire alarms and if you pull an alarm it’s a criminal offense,” Butter-